Join Us: Director of Cultural Heritage– Work with the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance!
Location: Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra
Salary: $145,000 – $170,000 per annum + 12% superannuation + salary packaging
Position type: Full time hours, 12 months Fixed term contract with the possibility of extension
Lead transformative cultural heritage legislative reform with the First Nation Heritage Protection Alliance and the Australian Government, leveraging your strengths in leadership, engagement, policy and program delivery!
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly urged to apply.
About us
The National Native Title Council (NNTC) is the peak body for native title organisations across Australia. As a not-for-profit organisation, we provide a united national voice on matters of
significance to the native title sector and advocate for the rights and interests of Traditional Owners.
The NNTC is the secretariat for the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance (FNHPA) who are leading the cultural heritage legislative reform work in partnership with the Australian Government.
This role will work closely with the FNHPA and other First Nations leaders.
About the role
We are seeking a Director of Cultural Heritage to manage the cultural heritage project team and work closely with the Executive Lead of the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance (FNHPA) and the CEO of the National Native Title Council.
The position encompasses planning, project management, stakeholder collaboration, high level policy and program execution to meet external deadlines. Some of your duties & responsibilities will include:
- Provide strategic leadership of the organisation’s Cultural Heritage portfolio, contributing as a member of the senior executive team to organisational strategy, governance, and priority setting.
- Lead the national cultural heritage legislative and policy reform program, including oversight of policy development, reform strategy, and management of the organisation’s partnership with the Australian Government.
- Drive engagement and political strategy in collaboration with the Director of Strategic Communications, ensuring alignment between policy reform objectives, public communications, and stakeholder engagement.
- Provide high-level leadership in stakeholder and partnership management, maintaining constructive and trusted relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives, practitioners, industry stakeholders, and government partners.
- Manage the planning and delivery of projects as required, ensuring strong governance, effective resource management, clear reporting and delivery of outputs on time.
Lead, mentor, and develop staff within a supportive, high-performance team culture, fostering capability development, accountability, and wellbeing.
- Produce high-level policy and strategic documentation, including ministerial-style, briefs, policy papers, reports, and presentations for senior stakeholders.
Experience & Skills
- Leadership experience (typically 10+ years) in a relevant role, organisation or sector with demonstrated capacity to lead complex programs of work.
- Significant experience working with, or within, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities (10+ years), with a strong understanding of cultural authority, community engagement protocols, and the principles of
self-determination.
- Strong understanding of and experience working with Australian Government policy and
legislative processes.
- Highly developed strategic communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the
ability to influence, negotiate, and maintain trusted relationships with First Nations leaders, senior levels of government, industry, and sector partners.
- Knowledge of First Nations cultural heritage legislative and policy frameworks and the
native title system, with the ability to provide strategic advice on cultural heritage and other native title reforms.
Strong project management capability, including securing funding, contract management,
oversight of planning, resourcing, budgeting, performance monitoring, risk management, and evaluation to ensure delivery of major initiatives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare
high-level policy papers, executive briefs, reports, and presentations for senior decision-makers.
Benefits
- We offer a competitive salary package
- Hybrid – WFH and Office at flexible work locations: the role can be based in Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra.
- Purpose driven organisation.
- This role involves regular travel, particularly to Canberra and other domestic locations.
How to apply
Candidates should apply directly through Seek and follow the prompts. Please provide a current resume and cover letter that addresses the key selection criteria from the position description. To download your copy of the position description, please visit our careers page https://nntc.com.au/work-for-us/.
If you would like further information or a confidential discussion, please contact
Melita Virginie, Human Resource Manager on 0481 367 774.
We will be touch if you are shortlisted for this opportunity. Applications
close on 6th April 2026.
